Helps A Lot
by ChronicallyinFlaming
Summary: Written for mass kink meme. Shepard and Liara attempt to overcome their inherent shyness/dorkiness to forge a closer connection. Also, Liara learns more about human physiology and its benefits.


**The Pr****ompt:**_** Liara loves deep penetrative sex**_

_Have once or twice seen the idea broached that asari wouldnt like sexual penetration (basically human sex - despite what liara has said on the subject in game). Want to see the opposite here, with Liara adoring the sensation and how alien and yet enjoyable it is and wanting it deeper all the time. Dont want to see dom, just Liara in control of things with Shepard, so lots of topping would be good._

_Im open to almost anything else thrown in, the only caveat being no femshep, as aside from the obvious i just aint a fan of hers._

_So yeah - toppy, happy, deep penetrative sex between Liara and male Shepard with Liara going wild for it. Shepard being hung helps a lot too._

__**The Fill:  
**

* * *

(**A/N: what's that, socially awkward Sheploo? Also, I like my MaleShepards dorky and bi and my FemSheps gay and butch**)

They had talked about it, twice, in the most brushing of ways. Hardly doing more than implying that yes, I'd like to do this meld thing with you, please, it's been years since I've doing any union-ing with anyone. At least, that's what went through John's head, as he looked down at those blue eyes. She hardly seemed to blink as much as humans did, and he shouldn't have found that fascinating.

Large, and dark, taking him in as he stood there. Freakishly aware of things like his breath and heart rate and his large hands just hanging at his side. Of every hair on his body, including the ones on his chest that he'd always been very self-conscious of since already having six of them by the time he was eleven.

He should be focusing on Saren, and the Reapers. Not on how she'd waited behind the others to speak to him. Not on the way she walked either. Or that he really wanted to sit down when she was around him, because she did something stupid and juvenile to his knees. And his stomach. Things that turned him back to a too-tall teenager that wanted to get this one girl's attention. That sucked at football, to everyone's disappointment and confusion.

But now, thankfully, his life did not revolve around not knowing still how to play football correctly. Lives were at stake, rather than his ability to throw a spiral. At least now he got to use those skills honed in those debate and classes that his parents had. Even the summers spent at magic camp might pay off at some point, John hoped.

He was a well-rounded individual that knew how to palm coins, how to hide yourself in a locker when you were big enough to make the captain continually give you second shots on the first string, the first person to offer the advice to youngster to never show up on your first day of a high school aboard an Alliance ship wearing your cape because it didn't matter how big you were, the other children _will find a way_ to beat you up.

If there came a point where he'd have to show off his music skills with an oboe, he would actually feel much more confident in his abilities overall in saving the galaxy.

But none of that helped when talking to a girl. Unless you were asking for a volunteer in the audience, and even then, she was going to get shoved into a box and sawed in half, so that only went so far. His skills with women came from just being generally around them, making friends with them, sometimes developing weird crushes that led nowhere and made him eventually just clam up when meeting someone pretty. With men, it was even worse. 'oh, yeah, brah, we should totally go skinny dipping now, yeah, now, then we can go take a shower together, I mean, at the gym. Together.'

He remembered his father trying to give advice at the breakfast table, when John had been dodging girls who stole things and pulled his hair on the playground. "Just be obvious, Johnny, when you like a girl. Make a move." The same man that told him to shave close to the grain, and nearly caused Shepard to give himself a tracheotomy. The same man who'd been called to escort Shepard home when John made his feelings known to one girl, through _song_ and in front of the other kids when he'd been eleven, and the rejection shown through her face and body language alone—getting beaten up and his hair yanked out in places was completely unnecessary. The ride home had been unbearable.

He hadn't held a girl's hand until he was fifteen, and that girl had been his cousin, his poor vomiting cousin that had been half-blinded from him setting off a firework too close to her eyes and needed help getting to the bathroom. His first kiss at twenty, blind on spiked punch during an Alliance party, with a fellow marine with the nicest muscled back that when seeing John leaning in and puckering up, had responded by shrugging unhappily and allowed John to get to second base. A virginity lost at twenty-one on a med bay bunk by a marine years older, both bored and sick of playing checkers.

After a certain point, neither of his parents ever sent messages asking about his love life, after receiving the barrage of messages detailing every horrible detail that eventually sputtered to just writing terse sentences about what had happened to his latest date to turning into just sad frowny faces when relationships were mentioned. It was better for all of them, really.

John was becoming fourteen years old, with his crushes and insecurities. Stepping onto the Normandy only to stuff his face and then go to his room to vigorously masturbate. All it was missing was vegging out on the couch, eating junk food with the excuse of 'carbo loading' and watching gory holovids that led to inevitable nightmares or cheesy love stories alongside his grandmother. Which seemed to somehow disturb his parents after he'd learned to knit from Grandma Shepard while watching those things.

Now he was hopeless. Why hadn't he spent more time with other teenagers, rather than staying inside and reading. And masturbating. None of which was going to help with Liara.

Though at least she appreciated a good time spent doing research on the extranet. And hell, she was practically an even _hotter _version of Indiana Jones (a title John did not throw around loosely), just missing the fedora and whip. All full of facts that made Williams pitch forward into her potatoes during crew dinners, as even Alenko struggled to follow along and Shepard had already given up and could only nod and count the freckles beneath her eyes. Brainy, and a little awkward, and hearing her admit things like how little time she'd spent around humans almost cheered John up.

Only realizing that he would have to be the one to make the move, rather than hoping the other person would. As had happened throughout his entire love life.

Now he had to get his shit together, and ask her out. Get her drunk and blind her with a firework so he could hold her hand. Do you feel strongly about men that give really nice sweaters to people? You want to play checkers?

Growing desperate.

He was not a jealous man, but still Kaidan had somehow picked up on his interest. Perhaps it had been the stink eye Shepard had given Alenko when he and Liara had been smiling and laughing over some reference that neither John nor Ashley had gotten. Also an uncomfortable time as Williams had begun laughing over the two men while Liara looked between the humans for an explanation.

The first time John had ever done anything like that. Any even broad, vague attempt at chest pounding. Normally, he just went sat there and watched, and died inside, silent but for the inner wailing and gnashing of teeth and would only alone rub his temples and hate himself. Only later would there be excuses, well, they'll be happier with that other person, I'm just some dumb grunt with good luck that can't dance to save my miserable life. And trying to excuse himself, there hadn't been a good time, there were other fish in the sea. Then the pep talk that was not unlike the increasingly-miserable coach, hey, buddy, there will be another person, at least you didn't try singing this time.

That poor coach, who seemed to think too-large shoulders and a blocky jawline meant that you could be a quarterback. Or belonged on any field, as the other coaches would realize.

He could shoot and knew a little how to crochet, and things like hiding credit chips up his sleeve onto to pull them behind ears (a trick that soon lost its luster to people, especially strangers), hated sports, and spent hours perfecting card tricks that no one wanted to volunteer to be part of and learned quickly that no one really created many oboe solos let alone wanted to hear such. Some of that must charm Liara, somehow.

Maybe.

They might have been able to at least bond over the sports-hating, except that he'd seen her and Alenko watching hockey, and Liara had been amazingly into watching those large athletes headbutt each other. Which earned Kaidan another look to be met with uneasy laughter from the biotic as Liara asked if John wanted to watch with them. Forcing Shepard to sit there, between them at least, and pretend he really cared about the team with the maple leaves beating up the ones with penguins.

"Yeah, that was great. How they kept hitting that puck into that net. And seeing that goalie losing two front teeth."

"It's a ritualized substitution for armed conflict, yes? Something primal to human, to defeat the enemy without actually killing him. Us versus them. I must admit, I did enjoy that."

But for Liara, he would watch a hundred games for her.

At least Liara didn't know how the increasingly-chronic masturbation, one actually done inside the Mako. Or how he danced. That he'd worn a bowtie, a bowler hat, and a jacket with patched sleeves every day from the ages of six to nine, and that had been a particularly hellish time in his life. The somewhat masochism he dealt with through his teens, expressed through talent shows and spending time with his cousin, who as children had been a great fan of that 'Why Are You Hitting Yourself' game, and falling for every trick she'd ever pulled. He hadn't learned to drive until they set his dumbass behind the wheel of a Mako and let him loose.

I still look beneath my bed before going to sleep. And I'm not particularly ashamed of that, because you never know what might be down there.

I used to speak in old Shakespearian, Chaucerian English for two months until my Mother sat me down and told me that she wanted me to be happy, but she also wanted me to live a long life, and talking like that would only bring about one of those things.

I am a good whistler.

Which, when mentioned to Alenko, had the lieutenant shaking his head. "I don't think that's the best path to take. Seriously, John. Don't do it."

Williams was still laughing after he'd told her about his idea to serenade Liara.

Tali admitted that she might not be able to look him in the eye after he'd sent her that unedited interview he'd done after the Blitz, wracked with guilt and exhaustion, crying and embarrassing the reporter. "I'm so sorry, Shepard. You must never show that to Liara."

"Was it that bad?"

"…promise me, as your friend, that you won't show her it."

"…I promise."

The class dork that got his house egged after parties he might be invited to so long as he was the butt of every joke there, compounded with every drink taken and thus creating a vicious cycle. Part of the circle of kids with great costumes and even better imaginations and grades. The braces and acne. Gluing his head to the window during the long field trips where he'd fall asleep, another reason why he now kept his hair so short.

The boy who'd dressed like a superhero for way too long and liked scrapbooking and comic books and had spent a curious time as a teenager planning his own wedding. As in looking through wedding magazines and wondering if he could get mechanical doves instead of real ones, and of course the whole thing would have to be Star Wars themed.

Good, and bad how she couldn't read body language so well.

Liara didn't know that those holovids weren't just to better educate themselves on different cultures, and was more of an excuse to get in a dark room with Liara. Unfortunately the mood tended to be ruined by others coming in and adding their own two cents about whatever they were watching, hey, move over Shepard. Then of course the holovids that were either so boring he'd fall asleep, with a politely embarrassed Liara next to him as he probably drooled; or they'd take a turn for the disgusting/perverted.

"I thought this was a movie about turan and quarian interactions." Said while desperately trying to stop the movie playing as awful music and bad pick-up lines were exchanged about helmets and fringes. Sweating enough to make his hands fumble.

"I suppose in a way it is. Wait, is he going to take off that mask? I've always been curious about what quar—no. No, he is not."

"I had no idea quarians had that slot there."

They exchanged looks, guilty and afraid, before he finally managed to stop the holovid. But oh, of course Joker found about them watching porn together, and would not let it go. Even while Liara turned purple, and John had a mild panic attack that he hadn't suffered since before having to go speak before the Counsel. Only this time he had to explain that no, he and Liara were not into role playing, Joker, knock it off. Wanting to die, as Liara overheard this exchange. Garrus and Ashley were downstairs, competing over whom was the better shot, and he wanted to walk into that blaze of gunfire.

Everyone had been making little jokes and comments, none more than Ashley and Joker, who sent excruciating extranet links to him in messages that he now deleted without opening, and could only hope they weren't actually important.

It was all coming to a head, watching her right here, before him.

"Commander?"

Somehow, the higher function of his head disappeared, leaving only some dumb animal instinct that had made him glare at Alenko so much. And that part had been corrupted by the crapball corny movies watching with Grandma Shepard. He did the dumbest thing, even dumber than the time he got sick of wedgies, and went without underwear, to everyone's vast dismay and chagrin. John pulled Liara into his arms, ignoring the gasp of shock and probably horror because he was the CO and this was very inappropriate, and kissing her.

Both of their eyes wide open, and looking at each other's faces.

When they pulled away, there was an indescribable sound of their lips separating. It sounded like shame. Heartbreak. A sexual assault case.

His sanity asking the question that needed to be asked: What is wrong with you John?

I dunno. A lot?

He was horrifically sober, as he watched her try not to have a stroke. Those beautiful, shockingly blue eyes huge.

Ten second pause stretched to twenty, thirty. Oh my fucking god, _forty_.

Things like this didn't happen in the movies. Someone always slapped someone else, or broke into tears, or began proclaiming their love. Told the other person to get out. Sometimes they might begin having sex while Shepard began counting stitches as his Grandmother began mocking their technique and skills.

Not since his first time, the _aftermath_, had there been such a deep vacuum of silence in Shepard's life. At least Liara was not saying anything along the lines of, 'was that it? Are we done? Next time, let's just stick to searching for the chess board.'

Oh please, say something.

* * *

It had been a sorry moment. The entire thing left Liara clutching her forehead, ashamed, and feeling terrible for John. Only after they'd moved away, both of them saying excuses, trying to leave for the door at the same time only to almost collide, alone in her bedroom, could Liara finally panic.

Just curl up in her room, and panic.

John Shepard had kissed her, and she'd ruined it. Somehow, she'd found to take that moment she'd been wanting for so long, and set it ablaze.

He'd been avoiding her, since then. Obviously hurt by her apparently rejection. Or horrified by her inability to kiss. He'd obviously expected something more from her. Had higher expectation she could not reach, because she was so damn uncomfortable with others, because she stared too much around the Commander, because she couldn't flirt to save her life and blurted out things about wanting to dissect him.

It wasn't enough to just hope he returned her feelings, now she knew he felt some attraction, that perhaps he admired her as much as she did, especially when they were in a fight and he was launching over crates and steadily taking out whatever enemy they were facing. Patient. Every shot hitting the target.

No, now he had kissed her, and they'd both fled like the crew members had in the kitchen when Tali had tried cooking.

And now they were in their separate areas of the ship, hiding from one another.

Liara had always been reclusive, but now she'd go in here to literally hide. The looks the others gave them was all curiosity, sensing the new tension. She and Shepard followed the same schedule, and not the nice one they had before, with waking up and eating breakfast together, reading memos, going together on whatever important mission John had to do. Crammed in the same Mako and both feeling ill over his driving, eating emergency rations and exchanging stories or just talking about the planet. Shooting or refusing whatever needed to be done. Then back on the Normandy, to watch him fall asleep at the table or in front of a holovid with her, Liara keeping herself awake just to watch him. He looked beautiful, lit with the glow from the screen, face relaxed and calm for once.

That face she would sometimes imagine in her bed. Their bed. Him asleep and curled into her. Both finding some peace.

Just thinking about that made her all the more depressed for what she'd ruined.

Now instead of sharing meals they would eat at different time, the arrangement unspoken. Then go back to their rooms. Where Liara at least would read, peruse too long on the extranet over human-asari relations, touch herself until she was a puddle on the bed, and sore from sliding fingers repeatedly into herself. Then go through another day of denial and misery as she watched a holovid alone. Somehow, the life of insects on Earth became even worse without Shepard there to talk about what he'd been bitten by as a boy.

Either one of the crew members had spoken to him, or the Commander had sensed her unhappiness, because after a week of this, Shepard finally came to her room behind the medbay to speak to her. Solemn, in his dark blue uniform that was just a shade darker than his eyes. He looked tired, and it pained her to think she might have caused him any loss of sleep. Pained, and excited her to think she had such control over him. That she could hurt him through lack of contact.

Which revolted Liara, when thought about. She _didn't _want to hurt John, didn't want to relish any control over him, that was something her mother might have felt. Something that might have driven Liara's father away, perhaps.

Had she been younger, she might not have questioned herself. Would not have even attempted making any sort of overture towards Shepard, depending on how many decades she wanted to strip away. Liara would have instead stuck to fantasizing, comparing John to everything, smiled at him too long from distance great enough that he wouldn't notice. Write his name in her notebooks, only to immediately erase it. Or perhaps later would have asked John out, in some terrible fashion that left them both wincing. The rejection that left her unsurprised, but still crushed.

She wanted to know everything about him. Beyond any interest initial due to his connection with protheans. To know who he'd had crushes on when he was younger, if he'd had a sexual partner before, what his favorite color was, what was his favorite food, where had he gotten that scar. Not seeing him these past days hadn't eased her feelings for him in the least. And Shepard standing before her only left her aching for more. She wanted to replay that kiss they'd had before, with her being the one to press her mouth against his, dry and firm, the scratch of his stubble against her chin.

"I think we should talk to each other about what happened."

"Yes, that would be for the best."

"I am so sorry for pushing myself onto you. I've never done anything like that before. I had some stupid assumptions, for which I apologize for." Standing there, stiff, as though preparing to bow and scrape before her for forgiveness.

"You have nothing to feel bad about, Shepard. I should not have—I should have handled that better. I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression."

Which made John's jaw and shoulders drop further.

"I mean. That I was not uninterested in you." She clenched her fingers together, hissing air out between her teeth. "I am attracted to you, Shepard."

"Oh." The spectre seemed to stand a little taller after hearing that. "Really?"

"Despite that we just met shortly ago, and aren't even of the same race, and hardly know each other—"

"We both hate mosquitos. Are prone to getting rashes after our Mothers dragged us camping."

"That is true. And I would like the chance to discover what else we have in common."

"We can. Right now, if you want." Shepard crossed his arms, still looking as dazed as she felt. "Most embarrassing memory?"

_Admitting that I was attracted to you. Us kissing, and me acting like a clod. That time I almost walked in on you when you were undressing to take a shower, oh, that was a fun afternoon spent imagining removing the rest of your clothes while touching myself. Trying to make friends with other asari when I was a child. _

"Oh, no. Um. Meeting you was not my finest moment. Unarmed, and trapped."

"Really? That was the most embarrassing. You're so lucky."

"Why? Have you done anything embarrassing, Commander?" She sat on her bed, patting the sparse area next to her. Just watching him come closer to her made her knees weak. On this bed that she'd thought about him sprawled across, his penis stiff as in those holovids, smiling, wanting her.

"Embarrassing? Besides kissing you like that?" His laugh was adorable, enough to make Liara's toes curl. "I had some bad time around other kids, when I was younger."

"_You_ did?"

"Everyone sounds so surprised at that. You're seeing Post-Alliance Shepard. Pre-Alliance Shepard was a bit of a mess. I used to be even more awkward around people I liked."

"That's hard to imagine. Sorry." Touching his face. Touching Shepard. While both sitting on her. Him, looking at her that way. Cloudy, and focused. Kissing her fingers, just the tips, and the sensation dulled by the gloves she wore.

"Liara, do you have any idea how torturous it was to go these days without seeing you. Without being able to talk to you? All I've been doing is spending time in my room alone. Thinking about you."

Which meant, what, exactly? Flattering, if confusing, to hear him talk about how he felt for her.

"How much time have you spent alone? With just yourself?"

…Were they actually going to discuss their sexual habits with one another? Way worse than when the crew would come together, and want to show off scars. Wrex always won, and a part of her thought he might win this contest too.

"Are we talking about…?"

"I suppose we are discussing masturbation." Most species did that, after all, and there was nothing wrong with discussing such things with her friend, and possibly partner. There was no reason to feel flustered, and disturbed at this turn in the conversation.

"God." Considering how the galaxy depended so much on Shepard, it was startling to see him blushing like a child. "You can be so blunt. I don't think I'd want to do the math on that one."

"How many _times _a day do you do that?"

"Not…a lot. You?"

"No, definitely not." They lied together, solemnly. "How many times have you done that, by yourself?"

"My record? You first."

Oh, goddess. "…six."

"_What_?"

Liara truly needed to learn to lie better, one day. "Once. It was a slow day at a dig site."

"I'd be dead if I did that six times. In a row?"

"Not really. There was a waiting period between the last three."

John was laughing again, and not blinking much. Looking at her, from the tips of her crests to her shoes. "Now that we know almost too much about each other, I think I'd like to try kissing you again."

Liara closed the gap between them.

Both of them were more responsive this time. But his mouth felt the same, soft, with hard teeth beneath dry lips that she soon dampened with her tongue. Dipping her tongue into his mouth, touching his own tongue, tasting him. Feeling sharp teeth, sharper than her own, the realization only sending more heat down to her stomach.

Different, different than her. She'd tried to use that as an explanation to keep him away, but feeling the flat chest, the muscles beneath his shirt, the longer legs and roughness of Shepard's hair, and suddenly his alien-ness became attractive. All the more for being unfamiliar.

Shepard pulled away with an embarrassingly loud smack of their lips separating. Wetter than their kiss before.

"We talked about that union thing, before." He sounded careful. Trying to find the right words. Even while he was swallowing repeatedly, and both were twitching and trying not to jump on the other, like the first meals back on the Normandy after a long mission.

All unnecessary. "I would like to meld with you again, Commander. Without watching the vision the prothean beam sent you."

"Oh, really, that didn't do anything for you, sexually?"

"What, no, the extinction—you are kidding."

"You're hopelessly adorable."

"Shepard. We don't know what we may find, what may happen while fighting Saren. I would like to be completely honest with you."

As though she'd been capable of hiding anything from the Commander.

"These could be our last days together, to show each other how we feel. Will you join with me, Shepard? Let our bodies and minds unite?"

Wide blue eyes meeting her own, trying to handle this sudden offer. From discussing masturbation, sitting on her bed, to melding together. Quite a day, thus far. "Only if you're sure."

"I've never been more sure of anything."

Shepard had been apparently under the impression that asari intercourse would involve only their spiritual melding, without much physical contact. So when she practically jumped on him, he was definitely unprepared. More than even than her, who'd never formed a union with anyone.

"Oh, so we_ are_ undressing. It is like those extranet links Joker sent?"

Who knew what those links had contained? So many had misconstrued conceptions of her people. What might Shepard be expecting from her? Would he want her to act like those asari in the videos, sit in his lap and have him fondle her breasts thoughtlessly while she moaned thoughtlessly? Switch positions every five minutes, deal with inane questions over how much she was enjoying this, compliment his penis over and over again. Oh, Commander, your cock's circumference is so very enjoyable inside me.

Which is might be. She had no way of knowing right now. What if it hurt? Would she still have to pretend to enjoy it? Liara had always enjoyed slipping fingers into herself, but from those videos, her fingers didn't quite compare to the girth human male genitalia possessed. "I don't know about that. Unless you would prefer—"

"No, this is alright."

"Should I undress you?"

Liara stopped in the middle of removing her shirt, feeling more than a little dumb. Incredibly foolish, and scared. He took up so much space, John. Just sitting there, smiling supportively. Wanting only to make sure she was okay with all of this. Even in this, he was patient and thoughtful. Still looking heroic, unshaven and handsome.

And now taking off his shirt.

Leaving the asari to just sit there, watching at the way the muscles rippled over just that simple action. The twin lines from his groin, a matter of symmetry, bulging, slightly tanned symmetry. He made her _hungry,_ there was no other way to describe it. His face, similar and different from members of her own race.

Together, they removed his pants. Then started over her own clothes, fumbling, hands bumping and making them smile. Comfortable, with all of this. With any of the awkwardness. The pants sliding down him, showing dark underwear that reminded her of her own. Ones that John slowly removed from her, eyes not leaving her face.

Naked. On her bed. Like so many fantasies, and holovids that were all she had to go off of. Which wouldn't help with the meld.

Shepard pressed his head into her collarbone. And they just stayed like that for a moment. She could feel the dark stumble on his head, the hair that he'd kept short ever since joining the Alliance. Liara had only seen pictures of him when he'd been half a boy, things from the extranet that offered background information on the newest spectre, for anyone interested enough to read about. Her hand touched that scar that so far the extranet had only provided a blank on as to how he'd gotten it. The eyebrows, brown in bright lights, the long eyelashes, his rough cheekbones.

He just wanted to be close to her, for this moment.

Liara was overwhelmed, painfully aware of her heart pounding in her chest. Of him, against her.

Then, carefully, the asari pushed him onto his back. In the gentlest way possible. There was hair beneath his arms, similar to the tuft by his penis. Dark and curly, vaguely animal-like. The differences between their race exposed. He was too big for this narrow bed, all shoulders and arms, and nudging legs.

"You're really…large."

"Where? That. Yeah, I've heard that. Everyone always sounds so surprised, too. Is that a problem? I don't want to hurt you, Liara." It was hard to look into his eyes, even while he was trying to be caring and considerate. She wanted him to look at her, to worry and be completely naked in front of her. For so long. Liara would have thought Shepard on his back would be less intimidating, but no, he was still tall and muscular. With that trace of hair on his stomach that led down to the penis nearly touching his bellybutton. Dark alarmed pink, thick, hot beneath her hand when she brushed against it and sent him groaning.

"I believe the terminology I've heard Williams and Alenko exchanging involved the word 'hung like a rhino'?"

"I—thanks? Liara. Why do they know what rhino penises look like?"

"I did not ask. I'm not even sure what type of animal that is."

"What were they even talking about? No, maybe it's better I don't know. And I thought we were watching the bad movies on animals."

"So do they, apparently. I'd actually prefer if we discussed something else."

"Right." Those eyes ghosted over her knees, up her stomach. "It's been awhile since I've done this."

Did he enjoy seeing her like this? As much as she loved him spread before her?

"I suppose we can teach each other. Between me knowing how to begin a meld, and you being more experienced with the physical aspect—"

"I don't think that will be a problem." His voice deepening, and sinking right to her stomach. "You look a lot like a human woman. Basically."

"I suppose both our races have some similarities. At least with human females. Have you never seen an asari naked, Shepard?"

"Not—okay, a little. A few times. On the extranet. But you can never trust what you find on there. Is, um. Would it be alright if I touched you?"

Consent, yet, that was important. Making sure they were on the same page when it came to everything. "Yes, and I can touch you, right?"

"Wherever you want."

As important as language was, in both their species, it was better maybe to not say anything. To focus on the way the other felt, his taste, the way John jackknifed and pleaded for her to stop when she put her mouth on his penis, just enough to taste the tip. Smell him, that natural odor of his body, thicker here. While his fingers slid up her legs, nearly pushing her against the wall, seeking her core.

"You're fucking soaked." Surprised, and aroused by that finding. Moving his hand, seeking for too brief a moment. Licking the fingers that she wanted them back in_ her_ immediately.

Studying each other, a sane part of her offered to describe this situation. The rest was touching his hair, shorter perhaps than the hair on his stomach, pulling him to her chest, kissing him and nearly forming a union right there. Barely hanging on as he pulled away, smiling. Shepard touching her, positioning Liara. Her awkwardly sitting there, with Shepard half hanging off the bed, mouth kissing her. Much more serious than when she'd tasted him, especially as Liara had no protests. "Your fingers. Please. I need them back."

"Here?"

Uncomfortable, at this angle, half falling, half slipping down. Her back digging into the wall, and hitting a nice spot. Like John already knew about asari pressure points, despite claiming to be so new at this. Exposing herself for Shepard. Whose tongue repeatedly ran up and down the crest there, and nearly wiping out her eyesight. Better, so much better, than being alone and touching herself, wondering what the Commander was doing at this moment, and always thinking belatedly about the Normandy possibly having cameras set up in each room. Then her mind offering up the enticing image of Shepard watching her masturbate, while touching himself.

"Here. Right there. And." Liara took his hand, sliding it to her back. Over her back, down the base of her spine.

"I want you." She gave a shuddering sigh. "Inside me."

John was saying something, possibly something beautiful, but then she was too busy grabbing and positioning him to enter her. Just feeling the tip sliding, brushing against her. Sinking onto him. With him. Joining physically.

She knocked over a crate with her biotics and did not care.

* * *

He'd always thought he should be the type of person to throw his lover onto something flat, and proceed to fuck them blind. He was always the bigger one, and with being a N7, a man who liked being in control, and was gifted at commanding. In comparison to the even shyer asari scientist, the one that others joked about being a virgin, John might have been the one who was leading this, inexperience with melding aside.

Rather than finding himself on his back, being ridden. Being grounded into the thin protection this bed offered from the ground. Having her grab his ass. Almost hurting his hips, in a way that would have been hard to explain to the others.

But it wasn't exactly like she was being rough. No ordering him around, just being very firm about what she wanted, and what she wanted to do to him.

Liara showed him exactly what to do. How to sit up and bury his face between her breasts. Soft, and warm. Heavy. Perfect for his mouth, as they both learned. All heat where they were joined. Her back silky against his fingers as he ran over some cluster of nerves that made her twitch.

Probably also should have been this sex god, the type of guy that could go for hours without finishing, all advanced at tantric sex and driving his partner into sobbing. Good sobbing. Rather than that one time he was getting blown in a hotel room and as soon as that soldier had dropped to his knees and pulled John's cock out, and that had been that. On the poor guy's face, specifically, his wide eyes. Or his prom night, going stag and dancing with his friends in his usual spastic way, ending up messing around with this fellow band player in a fancy hovercar neither had ordered, and him leaving a stain he had to pay for, along with the rented cab.

It was flattering, really.

Yes, hopefully Liara wouldn't be upset, because he was really nearing the end of his control. She would probably be pissed off, even at his claims that he could go again. Could go many, many times right now. Shepard at least had that much going for him.

Fuck, just seeing her bounce on him was forever ingrained in his mind.

Shepard had wanted passion, yes, but had been willing to settle for mechanical, technical sex as he had throughout his life. One brief moment, when he first entered or was entered by a person, oh, yes, right like that…oh. The times where it was insane, out of proportion, were times he would rather not repeat as they were actually violent, pounding and beating him with hips and possibly breasts. That girl that had bashed his head in nearly, and liked to kick and push until Shepard couldn't walk afterwards that he kept seeing because she and his mom got along so well. At least Liara was not doing that. At least she wasn't using biotics. Trying to pop his ribs as she grabbed his collarbone for a better grip, a sex prop.

Liara was just enthusiastic, and really into him. His mother would probably love her, too. Who could not? Her so serious, so studious, as she fucked him.

It might have been better for them both if they could manage to be a little disinterested. Rather than having that brief moment throughout the entire event and being amazed at this entire thing. Trying to do things like remember other bad partners and depressing moments of awkwardness didn't even help, that's how great this was.

In love and having sex with that person. Good sex, by his standards, fuck, by anyone's standards, except Liara's because—

Shepard made a noise like a strangled cat.

"What's—Shepard? Are you alright? Oh."

"Yeah."

"Can you keep going?" She sounded breathless, completely aroused. Tightening around him, as though trying to milk up, as he convulsed beneath her. Leaning further into him, wanting him deeper. Pressing his fingers further into the base of her spine.

"Yes. Oh definitely."

Her nails scraping into his chest. "Then please continue. Please. It feels. I've never felt anything like it before."

Which he was happy to do, knowing he wouldn't even go soft while still nestled in her. Savoring the twitching inner muscles that meant she was close. The way her eyes were falling closed was something better than any porno he'd ever watched, as that was the closest he'd been to an asari before this.

"I want to meld with you. As we did before."

"You want to see that vision? Now?" That would probably slow him down, though.

"Not the vision. We'll form a connection, a spiritual union. John." Her eyes flicked black, even the whites of them turning the color of pitch. The thing of nightmares, if it hadn't been Liara. They'd done this before, but it wasn't the same, since he'd been dressed, and he could feel her tugging at him, at his consciousness, her wrapped around him in a new way.

When they melded, they could feel exactly what the other felt. Him in her, and her in him. Nothing Shepard had felt before could compare, not even the earlier unions where he'd shared that vision.

_Shepard, do you feel_

_Yes. Fuck this is not like last time_

_No it isn't this isn't like anything I've felt before either you're so deep_

_fuck_

And when he orgasmed, it wasn't too soon since she felt the same.

In fact, it might have been even better that he'd finished so quickly.

Liara_ screamed_ when he bucked into her, her breasts nearly resting on his forehead. His own yell was locked in his throat, forcing him to cough and sputter.

That's how he would die, John realized, choking through non-literally-erotic means because of Liara. Of course. There were so many worse ways to go.

Eleven times he'd done this before. Eleven times exactly, having actual sex with something being inserted, if not necessarily an orgasm taking place. Especially since you couldn't count what he'd done at prom as anything but a bad time masturbating in someone else's company. And none had compared to this. Put them together, and maybe it would be a little less than half as good.

Shepard wanted to empty a gallon of some energy drink onto his head, and give Liara a high-five. Not even after a game of football, one where they actually won, did he feel so jubilated. This was up there with being promoted to spectre, to getting the Normandy and becoming friends with the crew, to meeting Liara. "We were awesome."

"Yes. Yes we were."

They just stayed like that, breathing, him still inside her. Her mouth going to his forehead, to give a chaste kiss. Fingers running against his unshaved face.

He'd never cuddled with anyone like this before. Without any bribing or drunkenness or simply passing out on top of someone, 'which totally didn't count as anything, John.' To his dismay. But now he was wrapped up in another person, more than any physical connection or falling down the stair and having his crutches trap that poor girl who would forever flee his presence in the lunch hall, and of course Shepard couldn't chase after her to explain what had happened.

But with Liara, she would have stayed and understood why he'd slipped on some water to nearly killing them both. She was understanding, the smartest person on the ship hell several ships, caring, magnificent in battle and in bed. If he hadn't already been smitten, the kisses to his scar would have done it. Her warmth seeped into his.

"I don't know what they do in asari culture, to imply 'going steady' with someone…but hell, would you be okay with me making you a sweater as a sign of my commitment to us?"

"You know how to make sweaters?"

"And scarves. And gloves. I'm pretty good at knitting."

"You know how to knit?" Her laughter sent a shiver through him, and her eyes looked over his face like it was something worth admiring. "Shepard, you never fail to amaze. You can be so thoughtful, and caring, beautiful and charming, and you always know when to do the right thing, and…you're very enthusiastic."

"That I am. Want to try beating our masturbation records with actual sex?"

"Well. We can try."

Aside from having someone to act like a mess with and make sweaters for without fear of rejection, it was also nice to kiss her without an awkward silence.


End file.
